During balloon angioplasty, a specially designed catheter with a small balloon tip is guided to the point of narrowing in the artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to compress the fatty matter into the artery wall and stretch the artery open to increase blood flow to the heart.

For most people, coronary balloon angioplasty increases blood flow to the heart, at least temporarily. Unfortunately, in some cases the expanded artery may narrow or close up again. In this situation, the provider may perform another balloon angioplasty, and consider implanting a device called a stent into the narrowed artery.